This disclosure relates generally to the advertisement of goods and services to mobile units and more specifically to certification of advertisers for propagation to mobile units on an ad hoc network.
Traditionally, roadside billboards have acted as a means for advertising goods and services to travelers, including drivers, walkers, and bikers. This advertising outlet has been frequently used by restaurants, automobile dealers, convenience stores, hotels, hospitals, and other service industries and manufacturers to provide information on services or goods available, as well as the location of the advertiser. These businesses depend on customers responding to roadside advertising or observing the business in close proximity to the roadway. The advent of on-board navigation systems makes it possible for travelers to access databases describing services many miles ahead, and consequently travelers can plan better use of roadside services. However, on board navigation also enables drivers to navigate short distances away from the main route to visit services, but this flexibility is not currently being well exploited. While it would be useful to have a method in which service businesses can interact with on board navigation systems and offer discounts, service-time guarantees, and better quality services, to induce travelers to choose their services, and in many cases to induce travelers to change their timing or venture further from their original planned routes to visit these services, to insure that the advertising received in the vehicle is limited to material of interest to the driver.